Curtain fastening and releasing means



Sept 8, I925.

S. W. TURNER ET AL CURTAIN FASTENING AND RELEASING MEANS Filed Jan. 23, 1925 witmaoo' Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURTAIN FASTENING AND RELEASING MEANS.

Application filed January To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SHADE YVnsnnr TURNER and THOMAS IIAR-BER, citizens of the United States, residing at vVallins Creek, inthe county of Harlanand State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Curtain Fastening and Releasing Means; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in fastening and releasing means for curtains, and the invention further relates to pendant curtains whose lower edges are disposed adjacent swinging doors, for connection therewith, the primary use of such invention being upon automobile and other vehicle bodies, such as the bodies of touring cars and roadsters. In order to, open the doors of automobile bodies of these types, when the curtains are in use, it is customary to first unfasten at least the lower edge of a curtain or curtains, which is often very inconvenient as the driver usually has to reach to the exterior of the machine to release the fastening means. It is the object of our invention however, to provide a simple and very desirable arrangement of parts, whereby the fastening means for the lower 7 edge of the curtain above any door, is automatically released by releasing the latch of said door, preparatory to opening the latter.

With the foregoing in view, the invent-ion resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the association of our inventionwith a door and a pendant curtain whose lower edge is disposed adjacent said door.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view as indicated by line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but

illustrating the manner in which the curtain is released.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates a portion of an automobile door, and 2 indicates in a general way, the usual or any preferred form of latch for said door, said latch having an operating handle 3 which, in the present instance, is rotatable with a short shaft- 4, for the purpose of releasing the latch.

23, 1925. Serial No. 4,206.

5 designates a pendant curtain which is hung from the top of the automobile in the usual or any .preferred manner, the lower edge of said curtain overlapping the door and being preferably. provided with an appropriate stiffener 6'. This equipped with an appropriate eye or the like 7 which normally receives'the' outer end of a bolt 8 which is slidably and rotatably carried by the door 1, an arched frame 9 being shown within the door, for supporting said bolt. Preferably, the outer end of the bolt 8 is formed with a'notch '10 to engage the member 7, and said end may well be beveled as indicated at 11- to facilitate its engagement with said member 7. IVe provide means for rotating the bolt 8 when the handle 8 is turned to release the latch 2, and means are also employed whereby when rotation of said bolt is effected, it will be longitudinally shifted and withdrawn from the member 7,

thereby releasing the curtain 5. In the. present showing, there is a sprocket 12 on the bolt 8 and another sprocket 13 on the shaft 1, the two sprockets being connected by a sprocket chain 14 and being of any desired sizes, so as to utilize the relatively small movement of the handle for rotating the bolt to a greater extent. In the con struction illustrated, the bolt 8 is provided curtain is with an enlargement 15 having a pitched cam groove 16 which receives a projecting pin or other shoe 17 carried by the door, this pin or shoe being preferably mounted on the crown portion of the arched frame 9.

By providing the construction shown and described, turning of the handle 3 to release.

the latch 2, will cause the sprocket 13 and sprocket chain 14 to rotate the sprocket 12, thus rotating the bolt 8 and causing the coacting cam groove 16 and shoe 17, to slide said bolt inwardly, thus automatically disengaging it from the fastening member 7 of the curtain 5 so that the lower end of the latter is freed, permitting the door 1 to be readily opened. When the door is again closed and the latch is fully engaged with the keeper, the bolt 8 again projects in position for use, as will be readily understood.

By providing the unique association herein shown or a substantial equivalent thereof, it will be seen that a distinct improvement is made over the ordinary methods of fastening the lower ends of vehicle and analogous curtains, and as excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown,

it may of course be followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, modifications may of course be made.

We claim:

1. In combinatioma door having a latch provided with an operating handle, a pendant curtain hung independently of the door and having its lower edge disposed adjacent said door, means for fastening the curtain to the door, and releasing means for said fastening means operatively connected with aportion of said latch tobe actuated thereby, whereby to release the curtain fastening means when the latch is released to open the door.

2. In combination, a door having a latch provided with an operating handle, a pends ant curtain hung independently of thedoor and having its lower edge disposed adjacent said door, a door-carried bolt projecting normally from the door into engagement with the curtain, and means operatively con nected with a portion of the door latch and said bolt for withdrawing the latter from the curtain when the latch is released to open the door.

3. In combination, a door having a latch provided with an operating handle, a pend ant curtain hung independently of the door and having its lower edge disposed adjacent 4. In combination, a door having a latch provided with, an operating handle, aj pendant curtain hung-independently of thedoor and havmg its lower edge disposed adjacent said door, a boltrotatably and slidably carried by the door and normally projecting therefrom into engagement with the curtain, connecting means between the bolt and a portion of the door latch for-rotating the bolt when the latch is released to open the door, said bolt having a pitched peripheral cam, and astationary shoe carried bythe door and engaging said cam to withdraw said bolt from the curtain when the afore said rotation of the bolt is effected. j I In testimony whereof we have hereunto afi ixed our signatures. I v

SHADE WVESLEY; TURNER. THOMAS HARBER. 

